Games of Deception

Chapter 7 - A Father's Last Advice

Friday, May 8th 2015

He. Can't. Breathe. The stench in the elevator is stifling, as Rishabh holds his breath and loosens the tie hanging like a noose around his neck. His nose scrunches up in disgust as the smell of fart nearly forces him to contemplate throwing up. He angrily thinks, whoever produced such an obnoxious odor should be starved to cleanse their foul system. Pushing over and over again the floor for the executive offices, Rishabh sighs happily as the elevator opens up. Finally he can breathe again. He runs out and pulls out his phone from his jacket pocket. Curtly, he gives out swift instructions to the facility department to spray air freshener in the elevator he was just on, pronto.

Stopping over at his secretary's desk, he flirts with her harmlessly, making her blush profusely. Rishabh reflects, she is a sweet girl and he knows that she has a crush on him. So he humors her and flirts with her once a day, knowing it would make her ecstatic. As he continued to charm his secretary, out of the corner of his eyes, he notices his brother-in-law glaring at him, standing at the door in his corner office, at the other end. Hitesh turns around and slams the door shut; ever since their verbal altercation earlier today, he has refused to even acknowledge his existence, let alone talk to him. Rishabh sighs tiredly, his shoulders droop in defeat, as he walks into his own office with the gait of an old man.

It has been only one month since his father passed away and since then he has aged considerably. His lofty new position weighing heavily on his life, testing all of his relations. Rishabh thinks regretfully, he and his father had been at odds with each other most of his adult life. It kills him with guilt that he never tried to understand his father and the enormous stress that he carried. Now that he is in his father's daunting shoes, carrying out all of his duties to the best of his ability, Rishabh finally understands. He just wishes his father was alive so they could have fixed their contentious relationship. But, clasping his hand protectively over his jacket pocket, at least he has his father's last words.

Reverently, he pulls out the folded piece of paper from his breast pocket. The letter from his father is his most prized possession and he carries it with him everywhere. Anytime he feels defeated, like he can't go on, it gives him the strength to get his shit together and keep marching on the battle field like a true soldier. Like he has done so many times before, Rishabh unfolds the letter with utmost care, his drinking in the contents like a man on a desert come upon an oasis.

Rishabh,

If you are reading this then you know that I am no more a part of this world. Son it is very difficult for me to put on paper what I want to convey to you, as they will be my last for you. The grave importance of it is staggering. I have so much to say to you yet I can't seem to find the appropriate words. How do I start?

I have never been eloquent in expressing my sentiments but I do hope you never doubted the depth of my love for you. Rishabh you and I have been at odds with each other over the last few years. I have been quite tough on you; criticizing your profession and any decisions you have made thus far. I have always shown my displeasure and have even gone so far as to attempt to bully you into joining Kundra Industries. So I fear, son that my love for you may have gotten lost in translation.

You may find it hard to believe this, but secretly I have always been proud of you for your displaying your independence to pursue your career. I never expressed it but my love and yes, respect, grew for you tenfold because instead of taking a job that was handed to you in a golden platter, you took a more difficult route. You refused to take on a guaranteed job with executive pay but instead became an assistant director for a small budget film with very little pay but a lot of sweat and hard work. You proved me and everyone else wrong with your diligent efforts and now you are one of the top directors in the industry. And I have never been so happy and proud to be proved wrong.